I was stunned to find out that a major reason there is so many millions dying of starvation in African countries each year is that, of the 10 countries that the Nile River runs through, only 1 of these countries has the ‘right’ to use the water from the river for irrigation/farming/transportation or any other purpose! This is because Egypt supposedly ‘owns’ the water ‘rights’ of the Nile River.

As if anyone really ‘owns’ any part of mother earth. It is merely a concept, an idea someone came up with to enforce safety measures against those that intrude and steal or more often, simple greed, to keep all for oneself or ones ‘country’. Why cannot we not keep the safety measures but forgo the unfair idea of ownership? Answer, we can!

If you think of two children fighting over a toy, the one child crying ‘it’s mine’ , he only ever gets to ‘keep’ it if he is bigger/stronger, or someone else (the adult) intervenes and says what the ‘rule’ is.

It seems back in 1925 there was a treaty signed between Britian, who held Dominion over much of the African continent=came with weapons and murdered people to steal the wealth of the African countries and take it back ‘home’ to Britiian. Back then, Egypt and Sudan were Britain’s source of cotton and Britian knew that their rate of production was only possible through the Nile and the use of massive irrigation systems. So in this treaty Britian and Egypt decided that the Nile belonged to Egypt AND and that no-one is allowed to do anything with the water that, as a consequence, will lessen the amount of water that ends up in Egypt, thereby insuring Britian’s cotton crop production.

That’s right, they just decided=they made it up! No complicated economic theory needed here, they did this just because they could, because their stick was bigger than the other countries sticks. Just like the two little children fighting over the toy, they were bigger and stronger so got their way. It’s all about power and control and greed.

But supposedly they based this decision on the fact that Egypt has a 7000 year history with the Nile, way back starting with the Pharoas so historically and traditionally belongs to them. Well, we have to stop referring to history and the past to make decisions based on today. Instead, we must use common sense and compassion to decide upon an approach that is best for all life, which in this case would be all countries through which the Nile flows, are able to use this natural resource to better their economy and support the population!

Another reasons for this decision was it had been determined that Egypt was the country which had made most efficient use of the Nile, in economic terms. So what? Are we not all life? Does a newborn baby today deserve to suffer starvation and die in agony because 85 years ago it’s birth country did not make as efficient use of the Nile as Egypt? We are talking here about an invisible dividing line (again made up by human beings) separating the land and people into ‘countries’. It is not in fact ‘real’, we make it real by our agreement to participate. Also, let not the fact escape us, that ‘efficient use’ of the Nile meant that Egypt produced cotton for Britian which they could profit from and provide clothing for their people, total self interested motives. The invisible lines have to come down as we wake up to the fact that, this approach, is not what is best for all, as life one and equal. No hoarding commodities, such as cotton, so you can control supply and demand, thereby controlling prices at the expense of millions of others.

Can you honestly look in the mirror or in your child’s eyes and say your child does not deserve to have a comfortable, enjoyable, dignified life but the child across the invisible line=boarder, does? There is a difference is the quality of life because there is a different starting point of the two children, this is inequality. I am not suggesting we eliminate boarders as they provide logistical reference points so we can communicate and move about on our earth. I am suggesting we understand that boarders are nothing more than that–lines we have made up for practical purposes. We do not need to kill each other over imaginary lines! One planet needs one goal; decisions based upon the principal of what is best for all life, period.

Sadly, Ethiopia, which was the only African country that was never colonized, simply had ‘no legal representation’ and thus no say in the matter when this treaty was being written and signed, while over 80% if the water that ends up in Egypt originates from Ethiopia! Alot of the countries, when the treaty was being signed, were also too busy focusing on just surviving, so they didn’t really pay attention to the treaty or started thinking of some magnificent irrigation system as they simply did not have that luxury.

After independence from Britian, a few African countries declared the treaty as void but the treaty was never really challenged and nothing was every really done about it because the other countries were scared of Egypt’s military force, also knowing that Egypt still has strong ties with Britain’s, a powerful nation indeed.

Of course, many countries in order to develop, need these type of natural resources to support themselves, just as Egypt did with the Nile, which brings a lot of advantage in terms of agriculture (to irrigate the land in the case of the Nile) and transportation.

So every year Ethiopia and other countries get millions of dollars into the country as ‘food aid’. Also, realize, that when this investment as food is eaten, it is gone. The problem remains, charity is not effective as a solution to starvation. Crazy, when there is the Nile flowing right through their land! A sickening consequence of the Nile River ‘ownership’ issue: wasted food and food aid.

To add to the insanity no one is allowed to assist these devastated African countries in the investment of dams and irrigation system and hydro power which will actually help them get somewhere to improve the standard of living and create their own food source! And then the few farmers who do work their farms to produce food – can’t get their food sold because its cheaper to get free food aid. So they end up not being able to sell anything and end up joining the food aid line. Ironic.

There exist warehouses in Ethiopia FULL of food, grown right there in Ethiopia. And a warehouse next door FULL FULL with bags of food with the American flag on it, food aid food. So all the food these poor farmers worked so hard for, just rots away and then you end up with a whole nation of people being dependent on food aid. Insanity plain and simple, theft of 9 African countries ability to stand on their own feet, live with dignity, provide sustenance and jobs for their population.

My first boyfriend, TM, was a ‘nice’ guy. He was somewhat meek, short, fair skin and hair and quiet. I was attraced to him because he was very talented in the high school musicals and he was ‘cute’. He was also kind and considerate and honest, qualities I apparently did not value again for some time. We did not enjoy ‘hot sex’. It was my first sexual experience and it meant little to me. We stayed together for the high school years only because I was not self honest enough to tell him I was not happy in the relationship any longer. He was very dependant, a homebody, and seemed afraid of life. When I did ‘break up’ with him he took it hard, we were probably all of 18 years old. He told me he considered killing himself and acted strangely with me even years later. There was a painful meeting 6 months after the breakup, he hoped I would have ‘come to my senses’ but I had moved on to the next ‘love of my life’ . Note: I am not aware of the thought patterns to a great extent as they are, for me, more ‘backchat’ (explained in previous blog). So I am somewhat ‘guessing’. I will be studying by ‘backchat’ in the second year of my course with Desteni!

Thought pattern: Poor TM, he’s such a loser, it’s so sad, I feel terrible but I just didn’t love him, I hated sex with him, no way it would have worked, I hope I never see him again, oh God, that would be awful ,I hope he’s happy, it was so awful hurting him, poor guy, he didn’t have a supportive, strong family, it’s ridiculous how much importance he put on our relationship, it was wrong of him to make me feel sooooo guilty. Oh well, the whole relationship went on too long, it was just wrong.

Thought: Oh poor TM. God, I hope I never bump into him. It was wrong of him to guilt me out like that.

I forgive myself for accepting and allowing myself to think , ‘Oh poor TM. God, I hope I never bump into him. It was wrong of him to guilt me out like that.’ I forgive myself for accepting and allowing myself to be in a relationship based on deception. I forgive myself for accepting and allowing myself to be directed by fear and guilt at the thought, ‘Oh poor TM. God I hope I never bump into him. It was wrong of him to guilt me out like that.’ I forgive myself for accepting and allowing myself to connect the words: high school, Lorne Park, White Oaks Park, boyfriend, first, virgin, oral sex, swimming pool,and ‘The Flintstones’, to the thought, ‘ Oh poor TM. God I hope I never bump into him. It was wrong of him to guilt me out like that.’ Whenever I go into an energetic reaction of guilt at the thought, ‘Oh poor TM. God I hope I never bump into him. It was wrong of him to guilt me out like that’, I stop, I breathe. I realize I am not responsible to ‘take care of / protect’ in a caretaker role or savior role another adult in this world. I no longer accept and allow myself to participate in thoughts and emotions of guilt in my mind that can harm me or others instead I bring myself back to ‘here’, to the physical and remind myself all that is real is this moment. I remind myself, should I meet this person again, I will treat him with the respect and dignity I would want to to treated, as we are one and equal.

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My next boyfriend, in University, I will call KP. He was the opposite of TM as he was tall,dark and handsome, loud, a heavy drinker/other substances, a womanizer, witty, sexy, loved to be out in bars and party. He was also full of hate and this came out more and more. He liked to ‘tease’=criticize me and humiliate me often, when we were alone and in front of others. He was dishonest and unfaithful throughout the relationship. I liked him because he was sexy and smart and looked like a ‘man’ not a boy. I see now my relationships have been largely based on outer/superficial qualities. It has all been based in self-interest, KP kept me busy by entertaining me with fun sex, an active social life, interesting discussions and readings-knowledge and information (he was a journalism student), and second guessing myself.

Thought Pattern: I hate KP, he ‘hurt’ me. He’s a liar and a cheat. He was starting to lose his looks, I bet he doesn’t look so handsome now. Probably overweight and an alcoholic. I bet he cheats on his wife or is divorced. I heard he ‘moved up’ in the world and bought a house in the neighborhood I grew up in and asked someone how I was, pretending like he treated me well. He’s a disgusting ‘pig’, a Nazi full of hate and thinks it’s funny to believe lies, a complete asshole. I hope I never see him again then I won’t have be polite and a hypocrite.

Whenever I have the thought, ‘I hate KP, he hurt me’, I stop, I breathe. I realize it was a long time ago I went out with him and I do not know him now. I realize the past can only hurt me if I allow it to with thoughts and emotions. I realize I am in a ‘healthy’ ‘happy’ marriage now and I do not have to fear the past. I realize, if I have these emotions of anger and hate, they come from me and I cannot blame another. I realize I am responsible for ‘going out with’ this person for 4 years and I was unconsciously trying to re-live the relationship with my father to ‘heal’ it. I no longer accept and allow myself to be possessed by emotions of hate and anger that arise when I think of KP. Instead I bring myself out of my mind and back to the physical, to ‘here’ in each moment of each breath. I remind myself that ‘here’ is all that is real in my world and I am safe and responsible for my state of being and I get on with my day.

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The next boyfriend I had became my husband. I will call him BD. Our relationship lasted 13 years, including our marriage of 9 years. We had 2 children so although our relationship changed when we separated , it is still ongoing even today. I thought, compared to KP, he was a ‘walk in the park’. I don’t think he ever wanted to get married (maybe at the beginning of our relationship) but I insisted. In many ways he was like my father, he could be ‘nice’ one minute and then quite cruel the next. He was a heavy drinker and liked to stay out late in bars. He lied and cheated (my father did not ‘cheat’ on my Mom as far as I know) and tortured me as he would insist I was just ‘crazy’ ‘insecure’ ‘jealous’ when I would ask why he came home at 3a.m. During our relationship he had extreme highs and lows and was often out of work. When he left, for the second time, our children were just 2 and 4 years old and I was penniless.

Thought Pattern: I hate BD, he’s a fucking asshole. If it wasn’t for the kids I would tell him to fuck off. Well, he did pay child support and can be quite kind. I shouldn’t be so bitter. He and his family are evil, they said they ‘loved me’ and then abandoned me. They are rich and I have nothing and made me sign an agreement stating I could never ‘go after’ their precious money. That’s cruel. They throw their money at my children paying for a life style I cannot compete with/keep up like members at an exclusive ski resort, expensive summer camp, a car, university away from home, expensive clothes at christmas. They use their money=power to control my children’s lives and it works. They only helped me a little when I humiliated myself by asking for a loan now and then. I hate them, may they burn in hell. They deserve that! Oh, that’s terrible. I shouldn’t think like that. No one deserves that. There were good times and kindness over the years, I’m awful! They have been generous to my children and love them. It’s just me they through in the garbage , not the kids.

Thought: I hate BD and his family. They love their fucking money more than people in this world. I hate the power/control they have over my children because they are wealthy. Bunch of phonies.

I forgive myself for accepting and allowing myself to think, ‘ I hate BD and his family. They love their fucking money more than people in this world. I hate the power/control they have over my children because they are wealthy. Bunch of phonies.’ I forgive myself for accepting and allowing myself to be directed by the emotions of anger, resentment, fear, hate, humiliation, shame, jealousy and guilt and to go into an energetic reaction within my human physical body which can harm me when I think, ‘ I hate BD and his family. They love their fucking money more than people in this world. I hate the power/control they have over my children because of their wealth. Bunch of phonies.’ I forgive myself for accepting and allowing myself to connect the words: ski, chalet, Markdale, cottage, summer, travel, wealthy, lifestyle, rich, greedy, Lorne Park, high school, parents, in-laws, children, divorce, family, debt, marriage to the thought, ‘I hate BD and his family. They love their fucking money more than people in this world. I hate the power/control they have over my children because they are wealthy. Bunch of phonies.’

Whenever I go into an energetic reaction of anger, hate, humiliation, shame, jealousy, resentment and guilt at the thought, ‘ I hate BD and his family. They love their fucking money more than people in this world. I hate the power/control they have over my children because they are wealthy. Bunch of phonies’ I stop, I breathe. I realize I am safe and no longer a victim as I live ‘here’ in the moment with breath. I no longer accept and allow myself to exist as past memories inside my head that can harm me. I realize I am not more innocent or guilty than BD and his family, that we are , in fact one and equal together here, on earth. Instead I remind myself to stay outside of my mind and bring myself back ‘here’ and continue with the situation at hand, not allowing the past to interfere or be repeated as a timeloop.

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The next boyfriend I had, after my marriage ended, was with CL. Or, as he liked to remind me, it was not a relationship, I was his ‘booty call’. He would see me for sex and that’s it. I feel furious about it even as I type this. But I understand now I am angry with myself for allowing the abuse and humiliation to continue in my life with respect to ‘relationships’. I started writing music when my marriage was ‘going south’. I thought I was ‘suppose’ to, a gift from God, I was special. But I know now it was deception as the White Light construct that kept me enslaved to the ‘story’ of Sandy. This man was a musician I met along that ‘path’. I liked him because he validated me as a woman (after being rejected by my husband), we had fun sex, he was ‘handsome’, he had a sexy singing voice and could play the piano.

Thought Pattern: Oh God, I hate that man CL, he is the devil himself. He lied to me , used me, he is an evil fucking prick. I was so innocent…well… I was so sincere in how I ‘loved’ him and he never wanted anything but sex. I drove myself literally insane obsessing over him and writing him ‘love’ songs. I nearly died because I met him, I ended my marriage too soon (lol, my husband was glad, he had wanted ‘out’ for about 5 years) and this put me in a very vulnerable position ie. no money or practical help with 2 little children to raise. Then I became an alcoholic for Christ sake to stop the ‘voices’ in my head. Then because I was an alcoholic (stopped me from killing myself at least was good ‘tool’ for few years) I nearly lost custody of my children. All because he was a smooth fuckin devil with a silver tongue. CL ruined my life and I hate the man whole heartedly. I hope he rots, he deserves it.

Thought: Oh God, I hate that man CL, he’s a fucking asshole. He ruined my life by using me. I went insane and became an alcoholic because I met him.

I forgive myself for accepting and allowing myself to think, ‘I hate that man CL, he ruined my life. I went insane and became an alcoholic because I met him.’ I forgive myself for accepting and allowing myself to go into an energetic reaction of blame, regret, anger, bitterness, self-pity, self-loathing, hate when I think, ‘Oh God, I hate that man CL, he ruined my life. I went insane and became an alcoholic because I met him.’ I forgive myself for accepting and allowing myself to be directed by the emotions of : blame, regret, anger, bitterness, self-pity, self-loathing, and hatred at the thought , ‘Oh God, I hate that man CL, he’s a fucking asshole. He ruined my life by using me. I went insane and became an alcoholic because of him..’ I forgive myself for accepting and allowing myself to connect the words: sex , piano, song, songwriting, Leuty, basement apartment, Montreal, alcoholism, crazy, insane, suicide, Children’s Aid, pot, oil, daughter, feel, booty, booty call, use, to the thought, ‘Oh God, I hate that man CL, he ruined my life. I went insane and became an alcoholic because I met him.’

Whenever I think, ‘Oh God, I hate that man CL, he’s a fucking asshole. He ruined my life by using me. I went insane and became an alcoholic because of him’ I stop, I breathe. I realize I am angry at myself for ‘playing with the Devil’. I realize I desperately needed something to replace my husband, something outside of me because I had no self–esteem/worth/love . I realize I was naive but not innocent, I used him for a ‘treat’ too and wanted to use him for a ‘lifetime’ to ‘complete’ me, fill the emptiness inside of myself. I realize my insanity (see My Story: http://youtu.be/jHmtACV-ECE) eventually led me to Desteni where I am busy learning to stand, all as one as equal ‘here’ on earth and learning ‘best for all’ principals and how to implement an Equal Money System, so desperately need on this planet. I realize there is nothing I would rather be busy doing. I no longer accept and allow myself to place blame outside of myself but know I create my life in each moment of each breath. I no longer accept and allow myself to be in my mind as past memories and emotions that can harm me but instead I bring myself back here to the physical and direct myself in the awareness of what is here and what is real and not re-create my past over and over. I stand and I stop the mind as possession as thoughts. I am responsible to do what is best for all, as life as equal!

What is a breadline anyway? A breadline is a line a of people waiting to receive food given by a charitable or public agency. This food is free for prople who have no money, often due to unemployment, as during the Great Depression.

No, there will be no breadlines in an Equal Money System (EMS). It will not be a system of scarcity. Scarcity is what we have now but it is a lie! Visions of breadlines are what the world governments and corporations would like you to think will occur, when the world changes to a system of equality, so you stay in your place, way behind the wealthy, and don’t demand change. They want you in fear so you remain paralyzed and powerless.

There is much fear around the idea of not charging people for food= ‘paying a price’, like we will run out or go broke. Nothing could be further from the truth, we have already figured out all the ways to mass produce food, on very little land, in controlled enviroments where no seasons have any influence. It can be done on a worldwide scale, we currently have all the technology for this ‘miracle’ to occur. And we see the evidence of this already today, in our grocery stores . Behold, the beautiful, genetically modified fruits and vegetables. Most justly, much of the land now used for farming will become the home of the animals again!

Wouldn’t it be great if part of a young persons education was spent on a farm practically learning how to produce food. Since food is a basic human need why not make it a basic educational requirement, to live on a farm in a commune style for a few years , taking responsibility for food production on a global scale. We will do this for the children to come, so that when they sit around the campfire listening to stories from the ‘elders’ talking of the days when humans would see a starving child and just walk on by, not giving it another thought- they are in shock and disbelief because life is so utterly different for them. Their littles eyes will bulge in horror, ‘Really, but they cared, they came back, right?’ ‘No.. for a moment or two they cared but they left the little child alone to die, in agony, no one ever came back.’ This is the legacy now. Let it be that the above example is considered disgusting, inexcusable, murder ! Never, ever to happen again!

Food production is a simple repetitive formula of planting, tending to with water and nourishment and harvesting, nothing need be re-invented. It is a cycle that repeats itself and all the knowledge necessary to have successful, sufficient food production for our world already exists. There are enough existing farms on the earth now, none need be added to produce enough for all.

Some foods and food products will no longer be needed so not produced. Since competition and brands will no longer exist, several products won’t be made (that had no nutritional value or worse had negative effects on our health) they were only ever made for profit not to feed/nouish. Since profit motive is eliminated, we will simply produce quality foods that are the best for all. Since much stress will be eliminated, we will not feel the need to overeat and become obese in such vast numbers and alternatively, mental illnesses such as eating disorders, will appear less and less in the human.

I suppose you may have to line up a few minutes at a grocery store, as you do now, but this should even be more efficient as there will be no exchange of money, you are able to take what you and your family require for nutrition and cooking enjoyment.

Much of the earth will return to it’s natural condition as the world rests and breathes and re-births itself. An EMS will be the end of the human and the beginning of the earthling!

The implementation of an Equal Money System (EMS) will be a process. Part of that process will be changing the current world systems (the banking system, the health care system, the education system etc) to what is best for all. An EMS, at it’s core, supports all human life, as one as equal, and in that no one person, race, culture gets treated differently than another, advocating all deserve their needs met, to survive and thrive with dignity and respect, in this world.

People have different needs and at varying times of their life and in various regions according to climate, geographical conditions, and ease of access so there are many considerations. Therefore, a group of people may have special needs to be met that vary with other people but this will be dealt with on an ongoing and ‘as needed’ basis not because of what occurred in past history of this world. We can learn from history, in a practical way, without carrying an unnecessary load of knowledge and information, of memories and emotions-we will take into consideration just what it needed in the present and necessary to support life now.

No decisions, changes will be made according to the past as ‘compensation’ for past mistakes/injustices/ except for using a common sense approach as in what works and what doesn’t. We, as the human race have all suffered and we all need to stand as one as equal, to fix the problems that face our world.

Therefore, we as the human race must honor each life, no longer in separation, …..you are separate from me so I live in self interest and ultimatly care about what is best for me ( and my family ) and your life has no effect on mine. No, we are all not only connected but live equal and one which means decisions are made on a ‘what is best for all’ basis. So if there are practices in place that are ‘working’ that when looked at from a ‘best for all’ stand point, then they will remain. Perhpas they will be altered over time, perhaps they will be implemented in a wider geographical area for more of the population, perhaps they will fade out, whatever is best for all of humanity and not just Indigenous people.

Let’s look at a few practical examples: jobs/university/housing

If there was legislation in place that specified Indigeous people would be hired on certain projects, to make up for a certain % of the total work force required, this would no longer be in place. Understand, one will not have to work for money=income. Each person will receive equal money per week/month/year in credits/earth dollars (whatever name is given the currency) so each Indigenous person will receive exactly the same as Brad Pitt-from birth to death-really! Do both of these people have equal access to all of the needed goods and services? Are they both able to purchase what they want and require for their household? Do they both have the same opportunity to choose how they want to express themselves (ie. work=service or hobby), whether it be in building houses, painting houses, painting the landscape, working with animals etc.? In the early stages of equal money, probably not and this will be addressed in other equal money writings. Needless to say, work will not be defined the way it is now.

Another example would be if there is a manditory requirement for universities to accept a certain % of Indigenous Peoples into certain programs or for the ‘standard’ to be different, such as lower grades required, or the cost to attend is lower. This would no longer be in place/law because schools such as these would have no cost to attend. The entire school system would have changes implemented over time but in an EMS there would be no ‘tuition’ cost, cost for materials/text books etc. that is now part of the regular /accepted/norm post secondary education system in, for example, Canada.

True free choice will open up (now choice is dependent on/restricted by how much money one has) so many will choose not to attend a regular school but to learn something different that truely intersts them.

Another example of ‘rights’ that are possibly, currently in place to live outside the system that will no longer be necessary is; reduced income tax, property tax, sales tax, and reduced fee for service such as public transportation. The need for these ‘rights’ will be eliminated by an equal money system because there will be no system of taxation and if a certain credit/amount is required to pay for transportation , everyone will have the same amount to start with each month so all will be able to afford it.

Being pregnant is difficult in the best of circumstances. I realize there are women who breeze through this experience but for most of us regular shmucks it’s a very trying time on many fronts. I recall with my second pregnancy, thinking I must have cancer (not to be insensitive to anyone who’s life has been affected by cancer) because within the first 2 or 3 weeks I was literally exhausted and felt very ill. I did not consider I was pregnant at the time for several reasons. It hit me like a truck and I spent alot of time in bed. Now, at that time I lived in a lovely neighbourhood, owned a home and good vehicle and though my husband and I did not have alot extra, we had a wonderful life. I was a stay at home mom to my 2 year old daughter.

I live in Canada which provides an excellent health care system. I did not have to work, (although looking after a 2 year old is work) not outside the home anyway. I had all doctor appointments, exams paid for, all hospital fees were taken care of ; doctor, delivery room and staff, any drugs, emergency surgery (C-section with my first born) and 3 days in the hospital. In Canada perscription drugs are not provided for free but I recall I did not take anything stronger than an asprin occasionally during pregnancy anyhow. Just a note, it was not through any great discipline on my part, I did not drink at all and smoked very little because I felt sooooo sick for the first 3 months with both my kids and then 4-9months I was used to this routine so it was easy to keep up.

Throughout both of my pregnancies, my second I used a midwife, (there was a fee but it was not much) anyone I saw, as a patient, treated me with the utmost respect, gave me their undivided attention, time, sincere concern, and advice. I never felt looked down upon or unimportant. Good thing too, it’s a very vulnerable position to be in, for anyone! It is also an emotional and frightening time for a woman, her body is changing rapidly and she has to be concerned about another life , in the immediate moment and for several years to come, yikes! Yes, woman need much TLC during this time, I say this in all honestly and sincerity.

Well, I went through all of that for a reason, to give you a picture, in stark comparison, to the reality hundreds of thousands of pregnant women face each year. I was aghast, sadly not surprised, to read about some of the horrors poor, pregnant women face in the vast slums of Nairobi. When some of these women were asked about their major concerns, two things emerged. One, the poor treatment they received from healthcare workers , due to the stigma of ‘poor’ branded on these women and the harsh reality of the necessity to earn income outside of the home.

In an article taken from ‘The Standard’, a Nairobi online newpaper, written by Michael Oriedo, March30,2011, “The African Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC) study says poor women shun modern maternity and delivery services, not because they do not have money, but because they suffer poor treatment at the facilities .The study finds that some health providers are not charitable towards poor pregnant women, often abandoning them or ignoring them when they visit health center and hospitals.” So these women often turn to local midwives who are affordable and give them the time and respectful service they deserve -as a human being-and to the unborn human being she is carrying! This is not to suggest the midwife is inferior to the traditional medical doctor/nurse in any way, but one should not have to go without necessary treatment and seek out an alternative, which could take weeks and have financial costs, when there are already, at a facility, capable practitioners in attendance.

It is no longer acceptable to me to not speak out, I do not condone this behaviour from other human beings any longer. These women are equal to the richest of pregnant women anywhere in this world and must be treated as such. They are indeed life as is the unborn child, as are you, as is the care provider who ignores the patient. In a society of equal money this will not occur as each will be provided for from birth until death, all necessities will be met. There will be no charge for essential health care services. Each will be given the same amount of money to live on for some form of accountability and enough money for essentials of life. You will not pay rent or a mortgage to a bank so some few families are incredibly rich, beyond imagination and get to have the earth as their playground while the vast, majority of humans suffer horribly with nothing and nothing to look forward to. I refuse to listen to the excuse, ‘well, that is their lot in life’, ‘God, has a plan’, ‘there is nothing I can do about it’, “it’s up to my higher power, I’m not in control of that, they must have something to learn.’ What crap, shame on us.

if I was to take a can of spray paint and cover your house or car in graffiti would you have the right to stop me, maybe its just ‘gods will’ or your lot in life or a ‘higher plan’ well, you can fix it but each time you fix it , i did it again, would it make you angry? And that was just your property not your wife, mother, sister, child I was damaging. ‘That’s rediculous’, you may retort, no what is rediculous is to let a situation continue in which one pregnant woman is taken care of and another overlooked-simply becasue of the coin in her purse. Literally one baby is given human care/love and another human discarded, that is dispicable.

The second major problem, the pregnant women in the slums of Nairobi face, is the stark fact of needing to make money so their families don’t starve, let alone pay for other necessities of daily living…er I should say daily surviving. The same article in The Standard, Michael Oriedo reports, “…Poverty forces pregnant women into doing heavy workloads, catering for the children they have already as well as babies’ needs. Due to poverty, women work hard during pregnancy and the period surrounding it. They work in construction sites as head-carriers and loaders, stay out late selling their wares, or go from door to door looking for work,”

Head carriers! That is heavy physical labour, I would have puked and fainted and I am completely serious. Now I would have also gotten up , like these women, and ‘soldiered on’ to feed my other children at home, pay rent and electricity etc. but it would be hell.I assume it is very hot in Nairobi so easy to become dehydrated. I wonder if these women get fair/compassionate breaks, water, nutrition, increased bathroom breaks on the job site, paid sick days or just sick days without threat of loosing their job, paid time off for doctors appointments? Perhaps some, I don’t know but I’m guessing no. Why? Am I jaded? Sure, I’ve felt like crap before and been treated like crap before and I don’t wish it on my fellow human sisters.Yes, I am jaded by the proven greed of the human race, the never ending race. Perhaps some employers do or/and some want to be helpful to these women but have their own troubles and family to pay for. I know I have been guilty of this , ‘I’ll be more ‘giving’ after I straighten out this debt I have.’ Slipping into justifying self interest, sadly, it’s the money system. We’re monkeys in a cage, all of humanity but the rich and the invisable elite. They have the freedom/movement that money provides, all the best services (health, fitness, travel, vacations, no stress from money worries).

Now, I understand other places in the world have trials and tribulations for the pregnant woman, this is not a competition, I am simply looking at one situation in our world. We are not separate;, one world, your world , my world. Indeed, one baby, your baby, my baby. One problem for us all to address and, finally, find a solution that is best for all.

These women have to work very hard to save enough money to make up for the time they will miss from work after the delivery and time they will spend at home. Many have no choice but to continue with the heavy workload immediately after birth. This often results in sapping the women’s energy and blood and leaves them fragile. Understandably, the women then are exposed to horrific outcomes: bleeding, anaemia, hypertension, malaria, placenta retention, premature labour, prolonged or obstructed labour and preeclampsia (convulsions).These problems often result in stillbirths, premature births, pregnancy loss, maternal mortality, morbidity, and deformity.

One of the women interviewed, a 27-year-old mother, told of her experience of nearly dying five days after giving birth. She worked as a cleaner until a week before her delivery and resumed her job few days after giving birth. Sadly, on her first day at work after delivery, she suffered heavy bleeding. She had to start work immediately so her children wouldn’t starve. Although she knew she needed to stay home and rest she simply needed the money.It nearly cost her her life.

Please investigate a real alternative, that is best for all at http://www.EqualMoney.Org. Let us all stand together to create a better world, an equal world!